The official blamed the Taliban militant group for the attack, noting that the militants abducted three IEC staff and two policemen tasked with protecting the center. “They also set all the voter registration materials on fire,” Nizami said. “We are investigating and have launched a search operation.”

Ghor governor spokesman Abdul Hai Khatibi acknowledged the incident, saying that tribal leaders and elders were in talks with the local Taliban to free the abductees.

Last weekend, Afghanistan began registering voters for the long-delayed legislative elections that are scheduled for October.

According to Abdul Badie Sayad, chairman of the IEC, authorities will register as many as 14 million adults at more than 7,000 registration centers across the war-torn country over the next two months. The official said that “insecurity, particularly in rural areas,” will be “the main challenge.”

The October 20 polls were originally set to be held in 2015 following presidential elections the previous year, but were repeatedly postponed due to security fears and logistical problems.